A variety of automotive lift systems have been made and used over the years in a variety of contexts. Some types of automotive lifts are installed in-ground while other types are installed above-ground. One type of above-ground automotive lift is known as a parallelogram lift in which the supporting platform, such as a pair of deck rails aligned with the vehicle's wheels, is raised on sets of legs that pivot in relation to the deck rails. By increasing the angular relation between the deck rails and the legs of the lift, the deck rails can be maintained relatively level while being raised to the desired height. This may eliminate the central post or scissor linkages that may exist in other types of lift systems, allowing service personnel unobstructed access to the underside of the vehicle.
Examples of automotive lifts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,159, entitled “Automotive Lift System,” issued Mar. 17, 1992, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,263, entitled “Automotive Alignment Lift,” issued May 9, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,451, entitled “Lifting Apparatus,” issued Apr. 10, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; and International Pub. No. WO 2007/148960, entitled “Vehicle Elevator and Lift Therein,” published Dec. 27, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
While a variety of automotive lift systems have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.